VALE GORDON WATT

The Western Region Football League wishes sincere condolences to the Watt family after the passing of WRFL Life Member Gordon Watt.

AFLUA life member, Lifetime Achievement Award recipient and long-time servant of umpiring, Gordon Watt has passed away, aged 94.

Born in Footscray, Gordon began umpiring on the boundary with the Footscray U19s in 1949 before successfully applying to the VFL Second Eighteens in 1951 when they took on the appointments. Moving to the field in mid-season 1952 he umpired in the Seconds until promoted to the senior list for the 1957 season having been an emergency to the 1956 VFL Second Eighteens Grand Final.

Over the next 11 seasons Gordon umpired 23 Reserve Grade, 190 VCFL, 4 Metropolitan and 9 Tasmanian matches. Of his VCFL matches there were 10 grand finals between 1961 and 1966.

Not content to just being an umpire, Gordon worked for the umpires’ association, firstly on the Social Committee (1960-1962) and then on the Executive Committee (1965-1966). His service was recognized with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 1968 to complement his 1967 life membership. He had also been training track supervisor at Yarraville from 1966-1967.

Following his retirement in 1967 Gordon maintained a close association with the Footscray District Football League umpires and the FDFL in a variety of roles until 1994, earning life membership of the league that year.

While involved with the FDFL he was also one of the original VFL interchange stewards. Appointed in 1978 he retired from in 2007, aged 80.

An umpires’ man through and through Gordon and his trombone will be missed wherever umpires gather.